could you help us with that? and i just want to understand that in terms of, because we have made tremendous sacrifices there. of our men and women in uniform. >> senator, thank you for that question. that is the most important question i think you. >> and people and one we should be able to answer very clearly. in the wake of 9/11 we went to afghanistan because there was essential for al qaeda and the attacks of 9/11 took place in afghanistan. that area is still ripe for sanctuary for al qaeda, the region is ripe for censure for al qaeda. will so want to establish a government in afghanistan, and assure the taliban were no one in a position to harbor al qaeda in that part of the region. those objectives remain. that is, to deny sanctuary to deny the billy of the taliban to overthrow the government in afghanistan. now the nation is to ensure that those gains that we've made over the last several years, particularly in the areas of development of the afghan national security forces, and the games will make as a re